Aerosol extraction unit with opposite air and suction manifolds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12409658-B2
Application number	US-202318385796-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2023
Priority date	Dec 2, 2022
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

An aerosol extraction unit includes: a frame having first and second opposite side bars extending parallel with a media feed direction; and aerosol extractors extending perpendicular to the media feed direction between the first and second side bars. Each aerosol extractor includes: an air knife having a knife slot for directing a flow of air towards print media; and a suction nozzle positioned upstream of the knife slot for directing aerosol into a suction channel. The first side bar includes an air manifold in fluid communication with each knife slot; and the second side bar includes a suction manifold in fluid communication with each suction nozzle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aerosol extraction unit for an inkjet printer having one or more printheads, the aerosol extraction unit comprising:
a frame having first and second opposite side bars extending parallel with a media feed direction; and
one or more aerosol extractors extending perpendicular to the media feed direction between the first and second side bars, each aerosol extractor comprising:
an air knife having a knife slot for directing a flow of air towards print media; and
a suction nozzle positioned upstream of the knife slot for directing aerosol into a suction channel,

wherein:
the first side bar comprises an air manifold in fluid communication with each knife slot; and
the second side bar comprises a suction manifold in fluid communication with each suction nozzle.

2. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 1 , wherein each aerosol extractor is positioned downstream of a respective printhead relative to the media feed direction.

3. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 1 , wherein the air manifold comprises an air inlet for connection to a pressurized air source and one or more air outlets, each one of the air outlets being connected to a respective air channel of one of the aerosol extractors.

4. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 1 , wherein the suction manifold comprises a suction port for connection to a vacuum source and one or more suction openings, each one of the suction openings providing suction to a respective suction channel of one of the aerosol extractors.

5. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 1 , wherein each suction nozzle is positioned higher than a respective knife slot relative to a media feed path.

6. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 5 , wherein a convex guide surface extends between an upstream side of each knife slot and a downstream side of each suction nozzle.

7. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 1 wherein each aerosol extractor comprises an extractor housing having a suction chamber connected to one of the suction inlets, the suction channel being connected to the suction chamber.

8. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 7 , wherein the suction chamber comprises a gutter extending along a length thereof, the gutter being positioned for collecting aerosol deposited on internal surfaces of the suction chamber.

9. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 8 , wherein the suction chamber comprises first and second gutters positioned at either side of the suction channel, the suction channel extending perpendicularly away from a plane of the media.

10. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 7 , wherein the suction chamber comprises a baffle plate extending along a length thereof, the baffle plate being configured to provide an even suction force along a length of the suction channel.

11. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 1 , wherein each air knife and suction nozzle are configured such that a first air speed through the air knife is greater than a second air speed through the suction nozzle.

12. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 11 , wherein the first air speed is at least two times greater than the second air speed.

13. The aerosol extraction unit of claim 1 , wherein the suction nozzle is a suction slot, and wherein the suction slot is wider than the knife slot along the media feed direction.

Assignees

• Memjet Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Lawrence James
• Profaca Mark
• Horrocks Glenn
• Kuzmin Sergey

Classifications

• B41J25/304

  Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface · CPC title

• B41J2/16535

  using wiping constructions (B41J2/16552 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J25/34

  Bodily-changeable print heads or carriages · CPC title

• B41J2/16585

  for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads · CPC title

• B41J2/16505

  Caps, spittoons or covers for cleaning or preventing drying out · CPC title